The Chicago Outfit
by thedarknessofthemoon
Summary: Example for the Roaring Twenties-Gangsterward Contest. Set in the early 1920’s. Edward is a young vampire trying to find his purpose. In an attempt to find his way, he joins Chicago's most notorious gang: The Chicago Outfit. Rated M for Violence & Lemons


**Roaring Twenties - Gangsterward One Shot Contest**

**Title: The Chicago Outfit**

**Your pen name: Thedarknessofthemoon (darksideofthemoon)**

**Characters: Edward and Bella**

**Disclaimer: Twilight does not belong to me. Rated M for violence and lemons**

**To see the other entires of the Roaring Twenties One Shot Contest, visit the C2:**

http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/The_Roaring_Twenties_Contest/75957/

The Chicago Outfit

Rebirth.

Some cultures believe that rebirth is that an essential part of a living being, like the soul, which survives death to be born in a new body.

I had been reborn as a killer.

When my creator told me about what I had become, I was in shock. For several years I stayed with him, hidden away from the world because I was scared and frightened of the monster inside me. But lately… I wanted to embrace it.

Killing is what I was born to do.

*****

I stood outside. The pavement beneath my feet began to darken as the heavens opened up, making it slick. It was a cold night. The wind from the lake was tearing at the flags posted on the façade of the hotel. The rain was now streaking through the black night sky diagonally. Still, I couldn't find the will to move.

Positioned on the corner of Balboa and Michigan Avenue, I squinted my eyes against the rain and looked up at the twenty-two story neoclassical building in front of me. The exterior elevation had a base of pink granite with high arched openings, supporting the terra cotta trimmed building shaft. Rain slowly dripped down the windowpanes; glowing from the light inside, they looked like they were crying.

I wanted to.

Gathering my courage, I stepped towards the entrance. _Remember to blink, breath, and fidget_. It was still abnormal having to remember to do things that used to be second nature.

I walked through the front door, leaving a small pool of water beneath my feet on the marble floor. The doorman gave me a strange look. I looked to my right and saw a round gold canister filled with umbrellas. I noted to remember another prop next time it rained.

I suppose it appeared I was going to catch my death from the wet and the cold. My unnaturally pale skin could be off-putting. The concierge made a timid move to come greet me.

"Welcome to the Blackstone Hotel. Do you have a reservation?" he asked.

"Thank you, and no. I have an appointment in the ballroom. I won't be staying the night," I told him.

His eyes widened with understanding and he simply nodded and let me pass by. I walked over the elevator, slid the gate open and stepped inside. Elevators were painfully slow for me, but I took them anyway. Finally reaching the right floor, I moved down the hall towards the ballroom. A few people were gathered in small whispered groups outside. I could hear the music playing loudly and as I got closer, the noise in the ballroom became unbearable.

I froze for a moment, and pinching my nose between my forefinger and thumb, I tried to focus. Finally, the roar of voices slowly became a gentle murmur. It was impossible to block out everything, but I was learning how to focus my attention. I walked up to find two heavyset thugs standing in front of the white double doors.

"Where do you think you're going Kid?" the one with a scar on his left check asked me.

"I need to speak with your employer," I stated. I could hear them assess my appearance in their minds.

"Ha, yeah right. Now get out of here." He waved me away with his hand.

"I must insist I meet with him," I said lowering my voice. I didn't want to cause a scene.

"I told ya', you ain't meeting nobody Kid. Now scram!" He was starting to get irritated with my persistence, but I held my ground. I _was_ going to meet with the Boss, and whether or not they lived to tell the tale was up to them.

"Why don't you listen?" he said as he whipped out his gun and pointed it at me. I tried not to laugh as I raised my hands in defense. I didn't want him to shoot at me; it would definitely complicate things. I knew what I had to do instead.

"I'm very sorry it had to come to this. I'll try to make this as quick and painless as possible," I told them.

"What the hell are you-" before he was able finish his sentence I had disarmed them and snapped both their necks swiftly. The bodies of the two thugs slumped to the floor. I looked around the room to see if there were any witnesses, but it didn't seem that anyone had noticed the struggle. I spotted a nearby couple joined at the mouth, but who really notices anything when one has sex on the brain? I quickly tossed their thoughts out of my head and picked up the thugs before me. It wasn't hard for me to pick them up, they were just very bulky. I shoved them in a nearby closet. I felt bad for who ever would end up discovering their bodies. Then again, the hotel employees shouldn't be too surprised, since the crime rate tended to be high in this city. They would probably just be thankful that they weren't the victims.

I stepped into the ballroom, my jacket a bit drier, and I shook out the last of the moisture from my bronzed hair. It was taking a lot of strength to focus my thoughts. The party was in full swing. The band was jumping and groups of people were swaying on the dance floor. I noted that everyone was dressed to the nines, donning pinstriped suits and evening gowns. I looked down at my clothes and realized that I hadn't thought about that small detail. I had on a pair of old brown slacks and a white long sleeved work shirt, topped off with wet boots. My black wool coat was fairly nice so I decided to keep it on.

There were a dozen or so tables with people drinking and dinning. The partygoers roared with laughter and conversation in the smoke filled room. I scanned the room for my objective. I spotted him at the far end of the room at a large round table. A dame was sitting on his lap and he caressed her breast. Another one was sitting closely beside him, running her hands across his chest and nibbling on his ear. A few other men were seated at the table, but they seemed to be occupied in their own conversation. Behind him stood two more thugs who were armed with Thompson machine guns. A slight complication, but it was to be expected.

I walked around the perimeter of the room, hoping to avoid as much attention as possible. There were a few couples in some of the dark corners of the room; I believe the skirts were "auditioning" for a job. I focused on my goal and blocked their thoughts.

As I approached the table, the four men who were previously consumed in conversation stood up, shielding me from him.

"I would like a word," I told them. I heard the Boss switch his thoughts from tits to the situation in front of him. I could see myself in his thoughts. The wall of blue pinstriped suits and tipped fedoras stood still for a moment, until one of them spoke up.

"You want to waste your time talking to this trash?" he asked him, not breaking his stare. The two standing in the center parted and I met eyes with the Boss. Slightly balding, he had his dark black hair slicked back. He was a heavier set man and wore a custom made three piece suit. His face held a look of disdain, his eyes dark with circles beneath them and the left one had a long scar that started at his forehead and ran down to his cheek. He looked me up and down; he thought that I looked too poor and scrawny to be any trouble. The two dames, now on either side of him looked frightened. I couldn't hear the brunette's thoughts, which I found odd. I met her brown eyes with a sideward glance. I didn't get to dwell on it long, however, because he finally spoke up.

"So, what the fuck do you want?" he spat at me and took a sip of his whiskey.

"A job," I told him. I heard him thinking about how he needed to take care of the security outside for letting me in.

"What the hell do you think you could do for me? Unless… you happen to have a cunt? Otherwise I suggest you go get a paper route, Kid. Someone show him the gate and tell Mugs and Greasy Joe to do their fucking job," he yelled.

"I already took care of them," I stated plainly. I could here the worried thoughts of the four suits standing beside me.

"You fucking took care of them? What the fuck does that mean? You wacked them? So, you kill two of my guys and now you want a job application? Why the fuck should I give you a job?" he asked as he stood to his feet, his hands gesturing wildly. I could hear him planning to tell one of the guys to take me for a ride, so I spoke up quickly.

"Because I can kill more of _Them_," I said.

*****

When I finally realized what I was designed to do in my new life, I reasoned that the only way I stood a chance at redemption was if I used my abilities to get rid of society's worst people. At first, it seemed easy. I would listen to thoughts of men, and follow them until I cornered them in a dark shadow. I would swiftly kill them and drink their blood, but afterward I'd feel awful. I didn't like the thought of murderous blood swimming inside me. Carlisle, my creator, had taught me to feed my thirst with the blood of animals. After I was reborn we spent most of our time in Northern Wisconsin hunting. It satisfied my need to feed, but I still felt a desire to kill.

The streets of Chicago were no longer safe for innocent citizens. The Chicago Outfit ruled the streets, the politicians were corrupt and even the police were on payroll. Everyday more innocent blood was shed, by shootings, bombings or robberies. I knew I had to do something about it.

I hadn't been back to Chicago in about five years. Everyone I had known in my other life had died in the epidemic, so I didn't have to worry about being recognized. Risking exposure to our kind was dangerous; it would mean death without trial. So, when I killed, it had to look like something a human was capable of. It was difficult at first because if I wasn't careful enough the blood was spilled recklessly and any control I had became lost in a frenzy.

The plan was obvious. In order for crime to subside, the gangs would need to be eliminated. The North side and the South side gangs were constantly killing each other. The only way for me to rid the city of scum without exposure was to join one of the gangs, kill the others, and then deal with the rest of them. My plan seemed flawless in my head; the only hard part would be getting in.

*****

"Who's _them_?" he asked me.

"North side gang," I replied, and remembered to blink and shift to my left foot. He smirked at my reply.

"So you don't like the Irish either, huh?" He gestured for me to take a seat and he sat back down. "What's your name kid?"

"Edward. Edward Masen."

"French? It's not Italian, but at least you're not fucking Irish." He leaned back in his chair and pulled the small brunette under his arm closer to his chest. I glanced towards her from the corner of my eye. She looked uncomfortable in his arms and I wondered why she was there. I listened for her thoughts but I heard nothing.

_That's weird. _I glanced over at the girl on his right. She was stroking his chest and fawning over him. She was thinking about how much she'd make tonight if she did her job well. I focused back on the Boss, the brunette still in my mind.

"We have a little job tomorrow. You might be perfect for it. Consider this your interview. If you do well, then we will talk about employment," he said, as he reached in his pocket for a cigar. He cut off the end and lit it up, taking in a puff before exhaling slowly.

"Meet the guys down at 55 South Cicero at ten pm tomorrow night," he instructed. Lucky for me, these birds were creatures of the night and I didn't have to worry too much about having to be exposed. Even if it was March, which meant each day was usually overcast and that direct sunlight was rare, I still preferred to hedge my bets and come out only at night.

I nodded in reply and stood to leave. I tried one last time to hear the girl's thoughts, and still, nothing. As I exited the hotel silently I hoped that I would see her again, but first I needed to feed.

*****

As twilight turned to night, the shadows from the dark alleys became ominous and menacing. The echo of my footsteps resounded off the brick walls as I paced over grime and rubbish. The light cast from the street lamps created glowing circles of protection for pedestrians. I stopped about a meter from the end of the alley and leaned against the brick to wait. I had fed last night, so my eyes glowed a warm honey yellow. They would appear sinister to anyone who passed by and caught them radiating from the shadow of the alleyway. I tipped my head down and peered through my lashes in an attempt to evade looking like a cat on the prowl. I watched as shopkeepers locked up their small stores and left without delay.

Focusing my thoughts, I could hear them, a lot of them. I looked across the street and spotted a tailor shop. Following the voices, I proceeded to the store entrance. A Closed sign was hung on the door and it appeared to be completely empty. I glanced through the window looking for any sign of life, but found none, other than the voices in my head.

I turned around and glanced to my left and to my right; the street was eerily empty, like the calm before a storm. I noticed a small door to my left, partway down the alley. It appeared to be the back storage door to the shop. As I strode towards the door the voices got louder. I could hear them: _sex, booze, money, and power. _It was like a mantra repeated over and over in my head.

I rapped twice on the wooden door. I heard footsteps inside and some fumbling before two small latches flipped open. The first latch, at waist height, had the end of a black barrel poking out of it slightly, while the other framed a pair of beady eyes that glared out towards me from eye level.

"I've been sent to help with the job tonight," I told him. His eyes narrowed as he looked me up and down. I could hear him assess my appearance and try to match it with the description given to him. After I left last night, I had made a point to acquire more appropriate clothes. I was now wearing narrow cut trousers and a double-breasted jacket in a deep charcoal gray under my black coat, topped off with a tipped black wool fedora. He finally decided that I must be the new kid and I heard him slide the metal locks open.

He pushed the door open and I stepped inside. A small wooden chair was to the right of the door and the short hall led to a corridor of stairs. I followed him to the basement where there wereas a probably about twenty men and a few women gathered. The smoke in the room danced in the dim light of the lamps. The art deco wallpaper was peeling in some spots. He weaved through the maze of people and he led me to another wooden door at the back of the room. He knocked on the door in a rhythmic sequence and then opened it.

We stepped inside and I was met with the same four men from the night before, as well as the Boss. There were also three women in the room. Two looked secure in their environment and clearly drunk on the hooch. The third… was her, the girl from last night. She looked frightened and her eyes were red, as if she had recently been cry. Before her sat an untouched drink and it smelled like a Mickey Finn. She was smart enough not to consume tapered drinks. I wanted to hear what she was thinking, and I wondered why she was there. She didn't appear to be one of the broods these goons usually had on their arms. I avoided looking in her direction and waited.

"So, Pretty Boy, you had the balls to come. Good for you, Kid. Now, you are going to join these fellas for a little job. If you do okay, then we can talk dough," he told me. I jerked a nod.

"Frankie, get a move on." The tallest of the group stood up. He seemed lean and fit compared to the rest. I figured he would be leading the excursion tonight. I still had no idea what I was going to have to do.

"Ralph, Joe, Vincent," he called, and the rest stood up to exit. I snuck one last peek at the girl in the corner and followed them outside. We boarded a black model T and headed downtown. After a few minutes the man in the passenger seat, Joe I think, spoke up.

"So ah, basically Al's asked us to take care of a little problem we've been having. You see around here folks pay us for protection and sometime near the borders things get hazy. So this Mac decides that he don't need to buy our protection no's more because now he's got da north side to protect 'em. So we are going to pay him a lesson, let him know who's running the show around here," he told me.

"What do we do?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer.

"Blow his shit up," he said. I thought for a moment, as I didn't think that I would have to hurt an innocent person's well being. This is what I wanted to prevent, but I couldn't back out now.

"So basically, this man pays you to protect him... from you?" I said putting together the pieces. "That doesn't even make sense."

"No, but it makes money and who doesn't want a big 'ol can of spinach," he laughed. We slowed as we approached our destination. I saw what looked like a Mom and Pop general store. The guys jumped out of the car and one popped the trunk and retrieved several sticks of dynamite.

"Okay Pretty Boy, we need you to go put this in the shop and then connect this electrical cable to the blasting cap. Be careful, you don't want to get killed on ya first day," he instructed me. I reluctantly took the dynamite from him; I believed this _would_ actually 'kill' me if it went off. I strode up to the storefront and smashed the glass with my hand to unlock the door. Cautiously, I set the 8 inch sticks on the counter and with steady hands connected the cable. Quickly, I ran a line outside. The car was running and everyone but Frankie was waiting inside. I handed him the line and nodded. He ignited the bomb.

The force of the blast was unreal. When I was alive, I had wanted to be a soldier during the Great War and thought I that I had been prepared for what would lay ahead. Little did I know that I would become a soldier in an entirely different kind of war. We jumped inside the car and quickly sped off, making our way back to the hideout.

The suits wanted to celebrate a job well done by getting licked. I followed them to the crowded room. Frankie and the boys patted me on the back and introduced me to the rest of the group. They seemed to be pleased with me. I played the part and was polite to those I met. Soon they all seemed to break off into their own groups or sneak off with some skirt. I pretended to be interested in my drink and sat quietly in the corner of the room by myself. I was doing my best not to listen to anyone's preverse thoughts when the brunette's face flashed through someone's mind. I saw them wanting to do horrible things to her and then I saw them hit her. Standing up too quickly, my stool skidded across the room. I could hear them and I saw the girl cower in the corner of the room. I wanted to run in there and protect her. And just as I had that thought, the door flew open and she was tossed out of the back room like a heap of trash.

She was bent over and weeping. No one else even noticed her there. Her arms were folded across her chest. Without realizing it, I made my way over to her. She looked cold, so I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She grasped at it and pulled it tighter around her shoulders. She refused to meet my eye.

"Would you like a glass of water?" I asked.

She nodded her head. So I went to fill up a cup at the bar. I then led her to a quiet corner of the room and sat her down. I tried to hear what she was thinking, but I still couldn't hear a word.

"Thank you," she whispered to me. I nodded.

"I'm Edward," I said and held out my hand for a shake.

"My name's Bella," she said. I smiled to myself. _Beautiful Bella_. She _was _very beautiful. Her deep brown eyes looked like pools of chocolate. She looked very young. I had been wondering what she was doing here so I finally asked.

"Why are you here? You don't seem like the type of girl who normally hangs with this crowd," I asked her.

"It's complicated," she said, looking briefly into my golden eyes, and then nervously in another direction.

"I'm sure I can keep up."

"My dad, Charlie, is the chief of Police in Chicago… and well, he refused to be on their payroll. So they took me to keep him in line," she said flatly.

"What? Why don't you just run away?" I was furious now, but I tried to hide my anger. How could they just decide to keep this poor girl because her dad did not want to be corrupt? Those sons of bitches… Fuck! I was one of those sons of bitches now.

"Because… I couldn't do that to him, he would get hurt." I could tell she wasn't telling the whole story, probably because she didn't know or trust me. I was going to have to earn her trust and get her out of here.

"What about you?" she asked me.

"What do you mean…"

"I can see what you're trying to put off… you're not like them, I can tell," she said as she stared me in the eye.

"I- it's complicated."

"Well I'm sure I can keep up," she replied. I stifled a small laugh and then sprang to my feet when I heard gunshots out in the street. Bella looked at me strangely and I realized my mistake: I was the only one who could hear noises from far away. I focused my thoughts on the people outside, trying to decipher what was going on. I pinched my nose between my fingers and shut my eyes to concentrate. I saw two men lying on the ground, five or so gunshots to the chest each and a small river of blood trickling down the street. The thought made the venom flood to my mouth. They were approaching the victims and I immediately recognized their faces. One was the beady eyed portly man who had been guarding the door. I heard what they were planning to do next. Realizing we were all sitting ducks in this room waiting for a massacre, I needed to get Bella out of here and fast.

"We need to leave- Now!" I said forcefully.

"Wha- I can't. Where are you taking me?" She looked worried and didn't know what I was planning on doing with her. I could tell she was second-guessing having divulged her information with me.

"I'll explain later. Don't worry, you'll be safe, I promise," I assured her. I scanned the room for another way out, besides the one that I had used. It would lead straight to trouble.

"Bella, do you know if there is any other way out of here?" I asked.

"Well, there's a back door, through the room Al is in right now, but I don't think we should go in there. Unless you have a death wish." I listened to the thoughts of the people in the room and spotted the door. I didn't have time to respond to her because just as she finished gunfire went off upstairs. Everyone heard it this time; the women were screaming and all the suits whipped out their guns. Bella's eyes flew wide as she realized what was about to happen. Without a moment's hesitation, I threw her over my shoulder, and while everyone was otherwise distracted, I ran out of there at vampire speed. No one even noticed anything other than a mysterious gust of wind passing them by.

We came out at the other end of the block and I continued to run until I thought we were safe. I could hear the thoughts of the people in the speakeasy drift away as they passed into the unknown. For some reason I felt like crying.

I finally had to stop running when we had reached the lakefront. Bella had passed out, so I delicately sat her down on the sand. I propped her head up onto my lap, and stroked her pink rosy cheek as I waited for her to rouse. I didn't really know at what point she had passed out. I thought about how I would have to explain my super human speed and strength. She finally stirred and looked up at me with hazy eyes. I gave into the urge to run the back of my hand along her cheek; she didn't flinch at my cool touch.

"Are you ok Bella?" Her eyes were watery, but no tears had been shed.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just a little nauseous from… " she trailed off. I stared out at the lake; the moonlight danced on the surface of the water. It looked almost like it sparkled. I counted the waves as they gently broke against the shore and rolled back out. After about thirty-seven waves Bella finally stirred and sat up beside me. I cracked a smile at her. She stared at me, like she was trying to figure me out. I really wanted to know what she was thinking.

"Okay, you've got to give me some answers. What was that all about- how… did I get here?"

"I carried you here. After I heard what those men were planning to do, I needed to get you out of there," I said.

"How… how did you know that was going to happen? Are you a snitch?" she asked me straight out.

"No, I just… heard them."

"How? I couldn't hear them, nobody could. So, what? Do you read minds, or are you psychic or something?" she asked.

"I can read everyone's mind… except yours apparently," I told her. She paused for a moment to consider this.

"Is there something wrong with me?" she asked me. I chuckled at the absurdity of this.

"I tell you I can read minds, and you think there's something wrong with you?" She was silent for a moment and thought it over.

"So what happened, back there?" she asked me. I replayed what I had seen through the thoughts of others.

"Ah…a lot of blood was shed before they took down the two from the North side," I told her. I wanted to spare her as much of the gory details as possible.

"We need to go back," she stated. I froze in shock. I had just rescued her from them, and now she wanted to go back? Maybe she didn't trust me after all.

"Bella… I won't tell them what happened to you… you need to leave. They may just think that you were a casualty," I urged her.

"No, I don't know what they would do to Charlie. I can't risk it. We need to go back," she insisted. She stood to her feet and began to walk away. I was too stunned by her brave heart and love for her father to do anything for a moment. I quickly snapped out of it and ran after her.

"Bella wait!" I called after her. She whipped her head around; her eyes were brimming with tears. The wind was blowing her cinnamon brown hair wildly around her face. The bright moonlight made her creamy skin glow. I realized I had been holding my breath far longer than a human could. She was captivatingly beautiful. I had hardly known her, but I felt like I wanted to spend the rest of my existence with her. But this was impossible; I was a monster, a killer, and I would hurt her. All I could do was protect her. I could give her that. I knew that we had to return, we both did. I needed to continue my mission and she needed to protect her father.

*****

That week, the massacre was on the cover of every newspaper. An unlucky number of thirteen dead. Bella knew the location of several other hideouts, so we were able to meet up with those who survived. I was introduced to the men I would be working with from then on out. In this business, you could get promoted very quickly, or demoted six feet under. Everyone laid low for a couple of days; thankfully I was able to keep an eye on Bella. I noticed she usually tried to remain unobserved and would do this by sitting quietly in dark corners. I couldn't help but watch her from beneath the brim of my hat. She must have felt my eyes on her because she looked over and caught my eye and I knowingly held her gaze. I became conscious of the fact that I had been sitting in the exact same position for about twenty minutes, my glass untouched in front of me. _Damn it! _Bella had the ability to distract me from acting like a human. I fidgeted in my seat, blinked, and started breathing again.

"Hey Pretty Boy! We are rolling," one of them called to me and I winced. "Pretty Boy" had become my name here; I don't think anyone actually remembered my real name. I stood up and followed him and two others outside. He tossed me a Tommy gun and I easily caught it with one hand. We climbed into a banged up model T. No one had told me what was going on yet, so I listened in on their thoughts.

_Shit, I hope I don't get shot today, I don't want to fucking die. Why the fuck do I have to go on this job? They want to fucking get rid of me I know it. _

_That brood had nice tits- I wonder if she's a top skirt? I could probably pay her to fuck me anyway. _

_Okay- Ralphie, Pretty Boy and Tony will go in- you tell them you'll keep the car running. That way, if they don't make it out, at least I'll fucking be able to. Al can suck my cock for putting me on this suicide mission. _

I heard him visualize what we were going to do and realized that if we went into one of the North Side's speakeasy's with guns blazin we would all be killed, except for me. I knew that a large blood spill would be hard too resist and if anyone managed to survive a Tommy gun… they wouldn't survive me. I knew what had to be done. We slowed to a gentle roll as we passed a funeral home on North Clark Street. I could hear them inside. We drove a bit further up the road and pulled over.

The driver spoke up. "Okay, so I'll keep the car running…you know what to do." The others nodded nervously and started to head towards the funeral home. I smirked at the irony.

"Wait-" They turned around and stared at me.

_Pretty boy is pussying out on us. Fucking great._

"Let me go… alone," I told them. The looked at me like I was the world's biggest idiot.

_Are you fucking crazy? Be my guest… I don't want to die._

"What the fuck Kid?" one asked me.

"Wait for me here," I told them and took off without them. I focused on the thoughts of the people inside; I could hear all of the foul disgusting things they were thinking. They deserved to die, they all did. Especially for what they did to poor innocent people like Bella. I thought of Bella's dark brown eyes staring up at me on the beach. I knew I needed to protect her from the scum of the world. I walked up to the back door of the funeral home, my gun held low against my side- not that I needed it. I rapped against the door. The latch slid open and I saw a pair of eyes widen at the sight of me. Quick as lightening, I thrust my hand through the slot and grabbed him by the throat. He gasped at my grip and his eyes bulged out of his head.

"Unlock this door- NOW!" I demanded. I heard him clawing at the door to reach the lock; his face beginning to turn purple. He slid the lock open and I dropped him, wrenching the door open. I had crushed his windpipe and he lay unconscious on the floor. A few more minutes without oxygen and he would be brain dead. I left my gun beside him. It was unnecessary and would get in the way. I walked down the long hallway and made my way to another door. I could hear the thoughts of about ten people. Their thoughts were somewhat cohesive and intelligent; finally a somewhat worthy adversary, unlike the insignificant drunks and pervs I had been hunting before.

I struck the door and it flew off the hinges. The men sprang to their feet at the noise, pulling out their guns. I walked into the room, my hat covering my face. I heard skin pull against metal as someone slapped the trigger. The first shots met the wall behind me as I moved at the speed of lightening and quickly disarmed and snapped the necks of each individual until the room fell silent. I looked at the lifeless heap of scum lying on the floor; I had killed ten men in less than three seconds.

I grabbed my gun and let of a few rounds of shots, so it would looked like I had used my gun to do the job. I sauntered back to the car where the others were waiting for me.

*****

After that night, I quickly rose up the ranks of the gang. When I went on a job, I was sent to do the job: alone. The men of the Chicago Outfit respected and feared me because they knew what I was capable of. Most of them left me alone altogether. I had, within a few weeks, become part of the inner circle. I knew that if I were to be at the top, then no one would cross me and if they did, no one would hold it against me if I took matters into my own hands. I knew it would be easier to protect Bella this way too. She was no longer the "something new and shiny" to the Boss, and he had lost interest in her. So I staked my claim to protect her from the others. If they knew she was my girl, they wouldn't touch her. However, she didn't know I had claimed her as my own.

I studied her from across the room; she was listening to the radio, tapping her foot to the rhythm of the jazz. She caught me staring and I smiled at her. Her cheeks rushed with blood. A few days ago I had bought a small apartment purchased with part of my cut. Not that I really needed a place to sleep, but I wanted somewhere safe for Bella. I still planned to get her out of here.

I crossed the room and sat beside her. Her hair was swept to the side in a low wavy bun; it looked like she had haphazardly thrown it up. Wisps of hair fell around her face. She wore a thin white blouse and brown skirt that I had seen her in this many times before. She only had a few outfits here and that one was my favorite. It showed off her gentle curves. The blouse was tight against her chest, and the brown fabric of the skirt reminded me of her eyes.

"Let's go for a walk," I told her.

"Okay." I stood up and held my hand out to help her to her feet. She straightened her skirt and we walked outside into the alley. It was a cool, cloudy April day, so I wrapped my coat around her. Silently we walked down the street a few blocks. I caught her stealing glances at me every few steps before I heard her stomach rumble.

"Would you like to join me for something to eat?" I asked.

"Um, okay." We walked down the street to a café that was known to be accommodating to our type. I held the door open for her. As she stepped inside, we were greeted by a young man with a boyish looking face.

"Hi, table for two?" he asked us. I nodded in reply. He showed us to our table.

_Wow. What a dame. I wonder if she's with that guy. He seems a bit scary and creepy._

"Can I get you anything to drink?"

_That girl is too pretty to be hanging around his type._

"Coffee please," Bella told him.

"Make that two coffees," I said.

"Sure thing."

_Wow, those eyes are beautiful... and those breasts... _I tried not to growl at him when I heard his thoughts become obscene. We sat in communal silence, waiting for the coffee.

"Here you go, two coffees," he said smiling at Bella as he placed the coffees on the table.

"Forgive my manners, I'm Mike and I'll be serving you. Can I get you anything to eat?" he asked.

"Thank you, just a turkey sandwich," she replied kindly.

"That will be all," I all but growled at him.

"Sure thing," he replied.

_Hmm, I wonder if she's getting paid to be with that jerk. I bet she is…I wonder how much I would have to pay…_

"Edward?" she asked me timidly.

"Yes?"

"Why are you still here?"

"What do you mean?" I asked her curiously, not knowing what she meant.

"I mean… I just don't understand why you volunteered yourself into a life of crime," she said. I looked at her brown eyes which were full of questions. She was extremely observant. I could sense that she was trying to peel back my layers, trying to understand me, but I couldn't let her it. I couldn't tell her the truth...yet.

"Like I said…it's complicated," I said ending the conversation.

*****

About a week later, several of us were back at the tailor's shop. Anywhere that the inner circle went, I went, because they dragged Bella around with them. I was becoming frustrated the situation that I had put myself in. I felt like every time we exterminated some of the city's vermin several more would come and take its place. They were like cockroaches. I felt defeated and hopeless on my road to perdition; my only redemption was that I could do right by helping Bella.

It had become our daily routine now to go to the sandwich shop. Bella seemed to enjoy it because it was open and airy, a vast change from the dark, smoky, windowless rooms that the night creatures usually inhabited. I pulled out the chair at our usual table for two towards the back of the café. I always sat to face the rest of the restaurant to keep and eye on things. Bella liked to stare out the window and watch the world pass her by. I could tell that she missed her father. She usually got really quiet for a moment, would sigh, and refocus. Today, she seemed more occupied in her thoughts than usual.

"Edward?" she asked, still gazing out the window.

"Yes Bella?" I asked her with concern. Bella slowly turned and faced me and looked up at my eyes, which were now black as night.

"What… are you?" she whispered softly, as if she was afraid to admit she suspected something. I nervously scoffed at her question.

"What do you mean? I work for the South side, you know that…" I said, not answering her question exactly. She bit her lip and paused, considering this for a moment.

"I know that… but _what _are you? I mean… you always go on jobs alone, most of which are suicide jobs, and you never get hurt. You can read minds. I never see you sleep or eat…" she continued.

"Bella, I-"

"What can I get you both today?" Mike interrupted. I tried not to growl; I had learned to hate Mike since we started coming to this establishment. Bella didn't mind his friendly demeanor, but she didn't hear the perverse thoughts that he constantly had running through his head about her. It took all my strength not to hurt him every time he looked at my Bella. _My Bella…_

"Just the usual, thanks Mike," Bella said with a half smile.

"Sure thing, Bella." He smiled at her, and I caught him glance down at her blouse.

_I would love to suck on those tits. I would nibble on those sweet pink nipples…"_Thanks Mike!" I said, slamming my hand on the table a bit too forcefully, but it snapped him to attention.

"Oh, sure. I'll be right back…"

_Fucking thug thinking he's some big shot. Why the fuck she's with him beats me. I fucking hate the both of them. Fucking gang blew up my cousin's shop. I can't wait to make them pay…_

Mike stormed off to the back to put in the order. Bella looked up at me, eyes still full of question. I didn't know what to say to her and Mike's thoughts were still distracting me. I put up my finger to signal Bella to hold that thought and listened to Mike. I could hear that he was on the phone with someone.

_Yeah, they come everyday around three o'clock. Yeah... One's a fucking doll who won't do shit with me and the other's one of their best guys. Yeah, I hear he's the one who took care of ten of your men up in Wrigleyville. Yeah, bronze looking hair, eyes? No, his eyes look black to me… really creepy looking if you ask me. So you'll take 'em both out… huh? Tomorrow? Okay, see you then. _

I heard the click of the receiver when Mike hung up the phone. I was livid and sat inhumanly still. My jaw was clenched like a vice and I had crushed the handle of my cup into dust between my fingers. Slowly, I reached into my pocket and drew out a set of keys.

"Bella…" I said through clenched teeth "…take this, and go to my apartment at 550 South Dearborn, 3B. I'll meet you there."

"Edward? Wait, what? I- I don't understand…" Realization came upon her and her face went white. "…No, no! You- don't have to do this-"

"Go…NOW!" I said forcefully. Too stunned to speak, she reached across the table with shaky hands and grabbed the keys. She fled the restaurant with tears streaming down her cheeks. I slowly stood, and made my way to the back of the restaurant, where Mike was beginning to fix Bella's sandwich. We were alone in the café now. I tipped my Fedora low to cover the left side of my face and entered to find Mike throwing turkey on a piece of white bread. He had not noticed my presence while he was muttering profanities under his breath until a figure in black caught the corner of his eye.

"Is everything okay?" he stammered. Without reply, I took long strides towards Mike. My eyes were burning black. I watched Mike fumble to try and grab the gun he kept taped underneath the counter. I heard myself laughed sinisterly at this feeble attempt and seized him by the throat.

"So you fucking thought you were going to get away with taking Bella and I down?"

I saw it play out in his mind, the gang driving by and shooting us up with Tommy guns; our bodies lifeless on the floor, blood running over the white tiles. I could hear his anger with me, that I had kept Bella to myself. His fantasies of her had turned onto into full on obsession. He was sick bastard. I could feel the venom rushing to my mouth. If it was possible, I'm sure there would have been bile there too. Mike's thoughts made me want to bleach my mind.

"I am the world's most dangerous enemy and your worst nightmare," I told him as I lifted him off the ground with one hand. He started to kick and grasp at my stone cold grip. I was so angry that I was shaking. I threw Mike with all of my force across the room, and his body slammed into the wall of kitchen appliances. The shelves above him came down with a crash. He started to grasp at the counter to pull himself up and he accidentally pulled at a towel that had a knife on it.

I lunged for the knife, but it was too late. It had fallen and pierced Mike's leg and the scent of blood filled the room. My eyes rolled back and I inhaled deeply, I had waited too long…

_I'd just be getting ride of more scum, it's what I'm designed to do…_I tried to rationalize with myself. I came to stand over him; his eyes were wide with fear as he gasped at the pain from his flesh wound.

"Please…" he begged. I scoffed at his pitiful desperation. He had planned to kill my Bella, and he was going to pay. I knelt down in front of him and wrenched his neck to the side. He let out a strangled cry and I sunk my teeth into his flesh. Mike let out a bellowing wail and I drew his blood, sucking it down in streams. I continued…silencing his cry and didn't stop until he was an empty vessel.

Satisfied, I rose to my feet. I looked down at my cold blood stained hands and started to shake. I grabbed one of the towels and wiped the blood off my hands and face. I felt sullied. I had gone too far this time. The darkness within me was beginning to spread. I had released my inner demon and I was frightened with myself.

I had to control this- this curse, I _needed_ to… for Bella. _Bella!_ Her name snapped me back to reality. I felt too tarnished to be in her presence. She was too good for me, for anyone really. She would hate me and I didn't even know how to explain what had just happened, but I had to try. I needed to try.

I ran off towards my apartment hoping she would be there. When I approached the outside of the building I heard her rustling about inside and quiet sniffles. My heart ached. All I wanted to do, was hold and protect her. I slowly entered the apartment. I had not planned on entertaining at any point in time. I had gotten the small one bedroom apartment just as place for me to get away from everything. I surveyed the room and it looked unlived in. There was no food, just a few clothes hanging in the closet, an old worn couch and chair, several stacks of books, and an untouched bed. Most of the furniture was left over from a previous tenant. The clothes and the books were my only possessions.

I stood in the entrance of the room. Sitting on the couch was Bella, huddled over and rubbing her arms to keep herself warm. I had never turned on the heat in this place. It was probably a bit cold and drafty. I took off my coat and draped it over her shoulders and sat down beside her, still keeping a safe distance between us.

After a few minutes of silence, Bella turned to acknowledge me. Her face was ghostly pale and her eyes were bloodshot from crying. She stared into my eyes.

"Your eyes have a hint of red in them… I liked them when they were golden," she stated, her voice barely above a whisper. I winced; she had noticed my change in eye color.

"Why did you do it?"

"He was going to kill you, I had to protect you Bella," I told her. I longed to reach out and touch her face, but I kept my unclean hands to myself.

"I know…" she shuddered and continued "…and I know what you are…"

"Bella… I-" She turned to look me dead in the eye.

"…and I don't care," she said.

"Say it then…" I cupped her face and brought it closer to mine. "…say it."

"Vampire," she said without blinking.

"Then you know what we eat."

"I trust you. You won't hurt me. I know it," she told me. How could this beautiful creature trust me? I didn't even trust myself. I was the world's deadliest predator, and I was designed to kill. I sprang to my feet and crossed the room, putting distance between us. I stared out the window, watching people walk down the street occupied in their day.

"You don't know what I'm capable of…" I told her.

"I do…" She stood up and crossed the room to join me. "… but, I can tell what you are really like, and you're not like any of them. Not even a drop."

I turned away from her. I was worthless, and I did not deserve her sympathy.

"I'm a killer, Bella. I've killed a lot of people. I killed Mike and I could easily kill you," I told her forcefully, trying to emphasize my point.

"You won't hurt me," She placed her small hand on my arm and walked around to face me.

"I trust you…" She ran her hand up my arm until she reached my neck, pulling me towards her. Her face was inches away from mine. "…kiss me."

Suddenly, I no longer felt like a dangerous vampire, I felt like the inexperienced adolescent that I had been. She closed her eyes. Her bright red lips, full of life, were waiting for me to taste. I leaned in a few inches and paused, inhaling her scent. Slowly, I closed the distance between us and our lips made contact. Her warm soft lips against mine sent a spark of electricity running through me. I could feel her body react against mine as I deepened the kiss. She moaned a little and that sent me over the edge. I grasped at her hips and pushed her towards the couch and laid her down beneath me.

My need for her body was unlike anything I had ever experienced, stronger than my lust for blood. She pulled at my hair and deepened the kiss, pressing her tongue against mine. I almost lost it when I tasted her. She was light and sweet, like frozen iced cream. I groaned as I smelled her becoming aroused. The aroma filled the room and sent a rush of need to my lower body. I felt her begin to take liberties with her hands as she ran them over my hard body. She was writhing beneath me and began to grind her pelvis against me. The friction was becoming too much to handle.

I continued to kiss her passionately and cupped her breast through her blouse. She cried out at my touch. I needed to see them. I worked at the buttons of her blouse and opened up her shirt so she was laid out before me, a small cotton bra covering her creamy chest. I ripped the fabric from her and pounced at the sight of her pink nipples. They tasted unbelievably sweet. I swirled my tongue around them and gently nibbled. Bella continued to grind against me, pulling at my collar.

Taking her cue, I removed my shirt, quickly pulling it over my head. Meeting her again for a kiss, my bare chest pressed against hers. The sensation of her warm body pressed against mine was out of this world. I ground my erection against her core; I hadn't any idea what I was supposed to be doing, but this felt so right.

Bella was quivering beneath me and I needed to taste her… all of her. I pulled away and unzipped her skirt, pulling it down her legs. She was wearing white undergarments beneath a set of stockings. I pulled at the stockings and slowly rolled them down her legs, placing light kisses on the way down. Finally, she was just wearing the small panties. The aroma of her scent filled the room and I was feeling over stimulated. She looked up at me with need in her eyes. I needed this, too. I pulled the fabric down and revealed her womanhood to me. I had never seen anything so beautiful. I wanted to paint a picture of it.

Realizing I needed more space, I sat up and scooped her naked body up in my arms, quickly carrying her off into the bedroom. At this moment, I was glad I had a bed. Bella let out a tiny squeal of laughter and I wanted to kiss her senselessly. She was so adorable. I placed her on the center of the bed. I kicked off my shoes and socks, now only wearing my dress pants. I crawled on the bed and sat on my knees between her legs. I pushed them apart slowly and studied the glistening flesh before me. I hesitantly moved towards her and pressed my finger against it. Bella let out a loud moan. Sensing her need, I did it again, rubbing my finger against her flesh. I felt my digit slip into a channel of heat, and Bella cried out. I slowly moved my index finger in and out. I wanted to taste it, so I brought my finger to my mouth and licked her moisture from my hand. It tasted sweet and salty at the same time. I leaned down and spread her wide and ran my tongue across her folds. Bella bucked against my face and started to grind against it. I continued to lap at her sweetness. Bella grasped at my hair and pulled me towards her.

"Edward… please…I can't take much more," she whimpered, but I continued to work her over. I could do this all day and all night, and never tire of it. I wanted to live here. I felt her tug at my hair, trying to pull me up. I looked up at her from between her legs. She looked beautiful. Blood had rushed to her cheeks and her creamy white skin was glistening with a sheen of sweat.

"Edward…I need you," she said. Not knowing exactly what she meant, I climbed up her body to kiss her. Her breath was hot and she pulled me into her body. I felt her small hand move between us and start to work at my trouser buttons. I was a bit nervous; no one had ever touched or seen me. I held myself up and shifted the material down my legs. The only clothes separating us were my white briefs. I ground against her and kissed her passionately.

I felt something for Bella that I had never felt before for anyone. I wanted to hold her forever and protect her. I needed to do that. I wanted to claim her as my own, but I needed her permission. I needed to explain what she meant to me. I paused the kiss for a moment and rolled to lie beside her. She looked at me with questions in her eyes. I slowly brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Bella, I want you to know that I care for you. I want to protect you and your family and I don't think that I can find the will to stay away from you anymore," I told her.

"Then don't," she whispered. She leaned in and kissed me with a passion that ignited the fire within me. She grasped at the band of my underwear and I tore it off my body. I growled at my need for her. I moved over her and pushed her legs apart, settling between them. I hovered for a moment.

"Bella, I'm not exactly sure… I mean, I don't want to hurt you," I stammered. I didn't know what to do exactly and I sure as hell didn't want to hurt her in any way.

"It's okay, you won't hurt me. I trust you." She arched her body against me. Her warm flesh burned me as she brushed against the tip of my erection. I hissed at the contact. I slowly lowered myself and pushed against the hot, wet flesh. We stopped mid kiss, our lips still joined as I slowly slid into her. I met a barrier and paused before pushing through and sheathed myself completely in her. I groaned into her mouth at the sensation. I could smell the blood that had come in contact with my flesh and paused for a moment as venom rushed in to my mouth. I could her heart beating wildly. Her pulse danced against my thumb as I cradled her neck. I wanted more than anything to bite her and taste her blood. I stared deep into the brown eyes that stared back at me. She trusted me and I needed her. I needed _her_ more than I needed her blood.

I overcame my rush of bloodlust and began to rock into her. She wrapped her legs around me and we danced together. Moving in unison, we had become one. I felt myself ascending towards something and my movements became erratic. Bella writhed beneath me and began to pant. She cried out as her body quaked. I felt her muscles spasm around me, tightening around my member. I grasped the wrought-iron headboard above her with both hands and jerked my body against her twice more as I poured into her. Feeling "tired" for the first time, I collapsed against her. She was breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath.

I rolled to the side, so that I wouldn't crush her and pulled her body against me.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She hummed against my chest and rubbed her hand against me.

"More than okay," she replied with a smile. I kissed the top of her head and pulled the blanket over us. I heard her breathing slow as she fell asleep against my chest. I lay there thinking about what was going to happen next. I knew I couldn't return to the Chicago Outfit. I needed to be a better man for Bella and I let them bring out the worst in me. She was my light, my life… I needed her like a drug. However, I knew if I took her away then they would go after her father. I couldn't do that to her. I finally came to terms with the fact that I had to speak with Carlisle.

I knew I couldn't wait, so I slipped out from under Bella's arm. I threw on my old work clothes; they would be better suited for running. In the unlikely case that Bella woke up, I left her a note, so that she would not be worried. I noted that I should grab food on the way back since she never got to eat her sandwich.

Since I had left Carlisle, I had been intentionally blocking his thoughts from my mind. I focused so that I could see and hear what he was doing and find out where he was. I was able to make out his location. He was still in northern Wisconsin at the house. If I ran then the journey there would take less than an hour. I tied my shoes and took off.

I usually paid more attention to my surroundings when I ran, since most of the time I was hunting. Not today. Today, I was focused on my mission. The sun was disappearing over the horizon and the sky grew dark. I continued to press on, not slowing until I could see the cabin and its windows glowing through the trees. I slowed down a few meters away from the house. I knew they would be able to hear me approach and did not want to rudely burst in.

I stepped up onto the porch and knocked at the painted green wooden door. I could hear Carlisle as he approached and pulled the door open to greet me. He smiled and pulled me in for a hug.

_Welcome back Edward. We missed you._

"I'm not actually back… yet. I need your advice," I said. Carlisle moved out of the way so I could enter.

"Of course Edward, come in and let's talk," he said.

We sat down in the living room. Carlisle waited for me to begin.

"Where's Esme?" I asked, wondering where my mother was.

"She just left for a hunt, she'll be back soon I'm sure," he replied. I pondered at that. Usually we never went hunting alone but it was probably better this way as I needed advice from my father. I began to unfold all of the details of the last several months to Carlisle. He sat patiently, listening to all I had to say until I finally finished explaining my predicament with Bella. He sat quietly for a moment and I could hear the thoughts racing in his head as he considered the options.

Finally he spoke. "Well, first of all, I'm glad you are here. Esme and I did not want to leave this house yet, in case you decided to return. We wanted you to be able to find us. Secondly, I do not blame you for what you did. Please, know that. It goes against our very nature to live the way we Cullen's do. I cannot force you to accept this lifestyle; it is your decision to make. However, we will always have a place for you in our home. Lastly, the situation with Bella is a tricky one. Her father is a Police Chief you say? Hmm… well, Esme and I had been considering relocating to a place called Forks, Washington. It is a small town where it rains most of the year. I would love it if you and Bella would consider joining us there…" He got up and crossed the room to grab a roll of drawings. "…We have actually already begun building a house there. I've already spoken with the local hospital there about a job. I'm going to be starting in about two months. I'm sure there is a need for law enforcement. Do you think Charlie would consider moving? He can't want to stay in a corrupt city that threatens the life of his daughter, can he?"

"No, I can't imagine that he would. I can see that this is obviously the only option. I would love to join you in Forks. I want to get Bella out of Chicago, fast," I said.

"Great, let me make a few phone calls then. Because of your involvement in the Chicago Outfit, I think it would be best if I spoke to Charlie about relocation. I will leave out the part about us being acquainted for now. You speak to Bella and bring her back here when you can," Carlisle finished.

For the first time, I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders. I felt hope. I knew that talking to Carlisle would be the right thing to do. I would be with Bella and she would be safe.

*****

I snuck back into the apartment. I had grabbed a couple sandwiches and a bottle of milk on the way back. I could hear the steady rise and fall of her chest as she remained asleep on my bed. Quietly, I placed the food on the counter and took off my shoes. I crawled into bed next to Bella and held her for the remainder of the night.

Several hours later, the sun streamed through the lone window in my bedroom. The room was filled with a warm, orange glow. Bella rolled over and stretched her body out like a cat. She yawned widely and blinked her eyes a few times, familiarizing herself with her surroundings. She grinned at me and nestled herself against my chest.

"Good morning doll," I said, placing a kiss on her bruised lips.

"Mmmmmm… yes it is," she murmured into my shirt. I brushed back her hair and gazed into her deep brown eyes. They were heavy with exhaustion. She wiggled her body against me and I instantly felt myself become ready. She must have felt it, too because she scooted closer, pressing herself against my length. Bella ran a finger down my chest, stopping above the waist of my pants.

"You're dressed," she stated.

"Yes, I went out to get you food. I thought you might be hungry," I replied.

"I am…" She kissed me sweetly. "… for you." She delved into a passionate kiss and I pulled her on top of me. She was still unclothed from last night. I quickly shed my clothes to join her and continued kissing her as I ran my hands down her back, cupping her bottom and then running them back up to her hair.

She moved her body lower to meet me and pressed herself against my length. Slowly, she slid herself over me and we both groaned at the contact. Never separating our lips, she began to move over me. Holding onto her hips, I helped rock her over me, slowly moving as one unit. We took our time with each other, not rushing. I wanted Bella to feel through my very core how much I cherished her. We steadily ascended towards our peak reaching the top together. Bella collapsed against my chest in exhaustion and I held her in my arms. I noticed she was shivering at my cold skin, so I wrapped blanket around our bodies.

We lay silently together, her head tucked under my chin. I twirled a strand of her brown hair around my fingers as I thought about my conversation with Carlisle. I needed to talk with her, sooner rather than later. Not wanting to break the spell, I finally got the courage to speak up.

"Bella, there's something I wish to speak to you about," I said plainly. She pushed herself up a bit from my chest so she could meet my eyes as I spoke. She waited for me to continue.

"I didn't just get you food last night. I also went to go speak with my father," I said. She looked at me curiously.

"You have a father? I had thought you were alone in the world…" she drifted off.

"Well, technically he's like an adoptive father for the sake of pretense. Carlisle is the one who made me like this. I was dying of the Spanish influenza and my mother begged him to save me, so he did, the only way he knew possible. A few years ago, he did the same with my mother, Esme," I told her.

"So, they are both… like you?"

"No, they are much better than I. Carlisle, he taught us to control our thirst by drinking the blood of animals. Lately… I've struggled with that," I confessed.

"Oh…"

I raked my hand through my hair. I needed to absolve myself of my sins. I needed to confess them to Bella. She needed to know the true me before I asked her to come with me. I stared up at the ceiling and continued.

"You see, it is unnatural for us to only drink the blood of animals. Carlisle's been doing it for a very long time so he is able to be around humans much easier than I."

"Is that how you killed the members of the other gangs? By drinking their blood?" she asked me.

"No. You see, when I first came to terms with who I was Carlisle kept me away from society. I was a newborn who could not be trusted. About a year ago, I got frustrated and ran away. I needed to find a purpose in this new life. I _yearned_ for it. I didn't understand why this had happened. I thought that maybe, if I rid the world of the scum of society then I might stand a chance in whatever sort of afterlife I may have…" I pulled Bella off my chest, placed her beside me and rolled over to look at her. "…At first, I would listen to the thoughts of these evil, noisome men, and follow them. I would attack them because I thought they desired it but I hated the thought of the blood of their sins swimming inside me. I felt unclean. So I learned to kill without spilling blood. If blood was spilled, the smell would be too hard for me to resist."

"I joined the gang because I had grown up in Chicago and loathed what it had become. I thought that if I joined, it would be easier for me to get at those who needed to be eliminated. I didn't drink the blood of anyone I killed… except Mike."

Bella stiffened in the bed at those words. I had suspected she had known I took care of him. Even I was disgusted with myself.

"I… I had not intended to. It was an accident really. I had waited too long since my last hunt and when he accidentally cut himself, the blood was impossible to resist. I hated myself afterwards," I confessed. I lay waiting for Bella to speak. She reached out and gently placed her small hand on my arm to comfort me.

"Thank you for saving me," she said. Her eyes expressed the genuine gratitude she felt towards me and something else. I cupped her face and drew her body against mine.

"I need to protect you, Bella. When I spoke with Carlisle, I asked his advice on how to get you out of here safely and how to protect your father. We are going to be leaving, moving to a place called Forks, Washington, and I want you to come with me," I said.

"But- if I leave, what about my father?"

"Carlisle is going to be helping your father. We want him to come with us there. He will help arrange everything. Don't worry about that. Carlisle will take care of it." Tears began to run down her cheeks. I was frightened that she was upset, or mad. I didn't understand why she was crying.

"What's wrong, love?" I asked, wiping the salty tear from her cheek with my thumb.

"I just, can't believe this. It's unreal. You're my savior. Without you, the only way I'd ever escape them was in a body bag. I had lost hope until you," she sobbed against my chest and wept until she had no more strength left in her to cry. She had worn herself out and fell back asleep in my arms.

*****

When Bella awoke, I knew I needed to wait until I heard from Carlisle before taking her away. I didn't want to jeopardize the situation, so we dressed and headed back to meet up with everyone else.

Our disheveled state must have been obvious because I received several large pats on my back and winks from the guys. Bella sunk back into the corners of the room and tried to remain unnoticed. I hovered nearby, sitting at my usual stool at the bar. It had become part of my human charade. Sitting at the bar with a half empty glass of booze. I could listen in on people's thoughts and keep an eye on Bella.

It was two days later that I finally heard Carlisle speak to me and because our connection was so strong, I was able to hear him from miles away. He had come to Chicago and was staying at one of the hotels in the city. I waited until it was time for Bella and I to go for our daily walk to talk to her.

When two o'clock finally came around, I got up to find Bella, to escort her on our walk when Al called to me from the backroom.

"Hey- Pretty Boy, come here for a second," he called to me. Completely caught of guard, I had been so focused on listening for Carlisle that I hadn't been paying attention to anyone else. I listened to his thoughts, but they were so scattered, they didn't make much logical sense. Joining him in the back room I sat down across the desk. He lit up a cigar and took a drag.

"So, I noticed you've taken a liking to the Chief's girl, huh?" he winked at me. He was concerned about the nature of our relationship and what it meant.

"Yeah, she's a nice fuck," I said, trying to make it sound as if she didn't mean anything special to me. I chose my words unwisely, for it sparked a thought in his head.

"Oh yeah, maybe you'd let me give her a go?" he chuckled. "You wouldn't mind would you?" trying my hardest not to rip him to pieces when I saw the images in his head of Bella, I tensed up and couldn't find words to respond, and accidentally snapped the arm of the wooden chair that I was sitting in. The crack of wood made both of us jump.

"Hmm… I see. Ralph! Bring her in!" He shouted and the door swung open. Swiftly, I stood to my feet as Ralph dragged in a tied-up Bella. A dirty rag was tied around her face and shoved in her mouth, muffling her cries. Her brown eyes pleaded with me, filled with fear and tears. Ralph forcefully threw her in one of the chairs in the room.

"Now kid, you've been doing a great job, but lately a couple of our guys have gotten sloppy, and I want to make sure I'm paying people to do their fucking job." He stood to his feet and walked over to Bella. An ugly smile smeared across his face as he tucked her hair behind her ear. Bella flinched away at his touch. Still keeping his gaze on Bella, he addressed me.

"She is a doll…but, I want to make sure, ya' know where your loyalties are." I saw his decision flash in his mind and became furious. "I need you to take care of her….or I'll take care of da both of you." Bella's eyes widened at his words and I clenched my fists. I had had enough.

"You see, we've given Chief Swan long enough to come to an agreement with us, but he won't budge, so we need to teach him a lesson." He motioned to the gun lying on his desk for me to use. I was shaking in anger, still unable to respond.

"You got a problem, Kid?" he asked me.

"You…will… leave her alone," I said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, is that so?" He walked over to me, grabbing the gun from the table, shoving the barrel against my neck. I scoffed at his attempt on my life. He stared me down. My eyes still had a tint of red in them, his burned with fury, ready to pull the trigger. In the blink of an eye, I heard a gunshot whick made me jump back. I looked down at myself. I was untouched, unharmed. The aroma of blood flooded the room and I couldn't help but inhale a breath. The scent filled my mouth with venom.

_Bella!_ I turned to look at Bella, who was slumped over in her chair; Ralph had shot her. She was still alive, but barely. Al was laughing at us, at Bella.

A mix of venom and rage coursed through my body. My need for blood and vengeance was unbearable. I focused my need on the two men in the room and let out a low growl. They stumbled back at the noise that came from me and drew their guns.

"You are going to pay for what you did to Bella," I informed them in a deep low voice. My mouth was dripping with venom. Focusing on Al, who was directly in front of me, I slid towards him to close the gap. Grabbing him tightly by the neck I slammed him against the wall with such force that he dropped his gun. Grasping at my hands for freedom, I pulled my lips back over my teeth, leaning in. I heard him whisper, "Ralph." A gunshot to my neck set me off balance for a moment. Irritated, I turned to my left, where Ralph look dumbfounded. Angrier now than I had ever been, I grabbed him and threw him across the room, his body cracking under the force. Ralph lay in a heap on the ground; there was a dent in the wall behind him. I stood above him and wrenched his neck to the side, and with no cause for sympathy, I bit down hard, quickly drawing his blood. When his body was as empty as his soul, I remembered the other piece of rubbish in the room. My body craved more blood and I would have his, too.

Grasping at his throat, Al was struggling to breath. The damage I had done was severe. He looked at me with fearful eyes, knowing what was to come next. I knelt down in front of him.

"I asked you to leave her alone…" I told him, and with that I swiftly went for his jugular, his cries too garbled to be heard.

Wiping my face with my sleeve I stood, satisfied. _Bella! _I could hear the faint beat of her heart. Her blood smelled delicious. I forced myself to hold my breath. It took all my strength not to drink her blood. Picking her up in my arms, I had to get her to a doctor fast. Luckily, Carlisle was in the city about a mile away. I ran out of there at vampire speed and carried her in my arms. Taking the alleys to avoid being seen, I finally reached our destination. Bella was unconscious; her chest full of blood, and it was on me too. I tried to wrap my coat around us both the best I could to cover up the blood. I took the stairs, rather than the elevator and ran to the floor Carlisle was staying on. Knocking at the door with my shoe, I but all kicked it in. I heard him make his way to the door and he swung it open to greet us. His smile quickly disappeared into a frown of concern. What was supposed to be a happy reunion had turned into disaster.

"Edward? Quickly, come in. What happened?" he asked me, showing me to the bedroom to lie Bella down on the bed. I heard another heartbeat in the room. It was beating fast and rapid. _Charlie. _

"Gunshot- I… we can't let Charlie see her like his," I cried. Carlisle closed the door to the bedroom and began to examine Bella.

"Start from the beginning, Edward."

"I was getting ready to leave, with Bella, to come here. When, we got stopped, one of the guys shot her, and I- I took care of them," I confessed. Carlisle had ripped her shirt open to examine the wound.

"Hmm…" I heard him considering the options. There was little hope for her; she had lost too much blood. He stood and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Edward, I'm afraid she's not going to make it," he told me. I wanted to cry. I loved her, I needed her, and I couldn't exist without her.

"Please, Carlisle, save her! I don't have the strength- I would kill her for certain," I begged. I knew it was the only way to save her now. He nodded and motioned for me to leave the room. Reluctantly, I got up to leave and took one last look at my Bella. I shut the door behind me and slid down against it to the floor. Esme rushed over to me followed by Charlie. He looked a bit like Bella, I thought, but with a mustache. Esme knelt beside me and placed a consoling hand on my shoulder.

"Edward, what's wrong? Is everything okay?" she asked. She had been talking to Charlie in the other room when I entered with Bella. I looked up at her golden eyes; she pulled back a fraction at the sight of red in mine.

"No, Bella's been shot. I tried to get her here as fast as I could," I informed them. Charlie looked like someone had slapped him and ran his hand over his face, sitting down in a chair as the shock settled in.

"I'm sure Carlisle will do what he can to help her. He's a very good doctor," Esme told us, and herself.

"He's going to fix her," I said plainly, and looked at Esme in the eyes so she would know what I meant. She nodded in understanding. And then we sat and waited.

After what seemed like forever, Carlisle emerged from the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"She'll be okay in a few days, but she's going to get a lot worse before she gets better," he told us. I knew that he meant that more for Charlie than us. She would be okay in three days, more than okay. I sighed in relief that Carlisle was able to help her in time.

"I don't think it would be good for anyone to visit her right now. She could easily die from infection," he said again, only addressing Charlie. We nodded in agreement.

"Charlie, we still have to get you out of here on the midnight train to Denver. Edward, I don't think I should leave Bella, so I'm asking you to escort you mother and Charlie while I tend to Bella," he said.

_What? Are you crazy? I'm not leaving her. _I thought to myself the words I wanted to shout to Carlisle. The look in my face told him anyway.

_Yes, you must go. It is not proper for a married woman to travel alone with a man she is not married to. We both know Esme can take care of herself, but Charlie obviously does not. Now go, I'll meet you both at the cabin in three days. Bella will be fine. _

I nodded in agreement.

"Let's get something for you to eat, Charlie," Esme tried to break the tension and distract Charlie with food. While Carlisle and I discussed the details for the next few days. I desperately wanted to go check on Bella. I knew the next few days would be painful for her and I needed to be there for her. It was my fault she had been shot. If I had gotten her out sooner, she'd be alive and healthy. Now… she's going to be one of us.

I was scared but a bit relieved at the same time. I had no idea how she would react when she realized the change that had occurred. I was terrified that she wouldn't want me anymore- or want to be apart of our "family" and the way we live. Not having the slightest idea of what to expect next, I just had to wait- three painstakingly long days.

We were supposed to escort Charlie to the train station, to ensure that he made it out of the city safely. Carlisle had planned to go with him as far as Denver, while Charlie would make the rest of the trip on his own, and then come back to meet Bella and I in Wisconsin. Now, Carlisle would be bringing Bella to the cabin late tonight, while Esme and I took the train to Denver. Luckily he had brought the car, for which he had originally planned for Bella and I to use. He would be able to transport Bella safely in the backseat.

It was time to go. Charlie had a stern look on his face, as he picked up his two suitcases; one with his belongings, the other with Bella's. Carlisle emerged from the bedroom holding Bella in his arms. My heart sank when I saw her.

She was as pale as a ghost and writhing in pain. Her body shaking and covered in sweat. She was moaning and incoherent. Carlisle had changed her bloody clothes and replaced them with one of Esme's nightgowns. The change of clothes helped her appearance a bit; it was good that Charlie did not have to see his daughter drenched in her own blood.

"Is she going to be okay? She doesn't look very good," Charlie said with a concerned look on his face.

"She's going to be okay, she's breaking her fever," Carlisle fibbed. We went down the three flights of stairs to the alley behind the hotel where Carlisle had parked his car. I opened the door for him and he delicately laid her down in the backseat. I gazed down at her porcelain skin. She would be a beautiful vampire I mused. I ran my hand over the back of hers and felt the touch of her warm skin one last time.

_She's going to be fine, the venom has spread throughout her body now, and it's all going as planned, _Carlisle told me.

I shot a look at her neck; the venom had sealed the scar where Carlisle had bit her. It was raised slightly and looked a bit silvery, just like mine. Taking a step back from the car, I shut the door and watched as Carlisle drove away.

Esme, Charlie and I got a taxi to Union Station and boarded the train, thankfully without any complications. The train ride was the longest thirteen hours of my life. Each minute of every hour I had Bella on my mind. I needed to be with her. Esme and I helped Charlie get to the next train to Seattle which was to leave a few hours later after our arrival. Finally, at about eleven PM that evening, Esme were able to board our return train home to Chicago.

Watching the fields of green pass us by through the window, I stared out the window, for what seemed like hours. Without Charlie in our presence, Esme finally confronted me.

"You love her, don't you?" she asked me, tenderly placing her hand on my knee. I kept my gaze on the blurred scenery outside.

"Yes, I do. I love her and I couldn't protect her," I choked out. I was beginning to break. I had failed Bella. Esme took my hand in hers and made me turn to face her.

"Edward, you saved her. Without you, she wouldn't have stood a chance. It wasn't by chance that Carlisle saved me, and it wasn't by chance that you went looking for your purpose in life and found Bella. It's called fate Edward. You two are meant to be together, you know you are," she said. The corner of my mouth turned up trying to pacify Esme with a half-hearted smile. _Maybe she's right._ What I felt for Bella was like nothing I had experienced before. But she had trusted me, and I had let her down. I could only pray for her forgiveness and hope that she would still want to be with me.

We reached Chicago and ran the rest of the way home, as it wasn't that far of a run. Nearing the cabin, I couldn't help but pull away from Esme. I was the fastest in the family and I needed to see Bella. It had been over two days since we had seen Carlisle. She would be waking soon. I burst through the front door and ran up the stairs to find him examining her.

"How is she?" I asked him. Bella lay on one of the beds we had in our cabin. She looked different than I had last seen her. The transformation was nearly complete.

"She's progressing normally and she will awake in a few hours. You should stay with her Edward," he told me. I sat down on the bed beside her and grabbed her hand in mine. Her skin was smooth to the touch, it felt like mine. Her skin was paler and her lips looked fuller. I lay down beside her and held her in my arms, waiting.

I didn't know what to say to her, so I sang to her. Gently whispering in her ears songs that my mother had sang to me when I was little. Several hours later, Bella stopped writhing in pain. Sitting up on the bed, I looked over her body. She lay perfectly still beneath me. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open, looking confused for a moment before they focused on me.

"Bella, can you hear me? Are you okay?" I asked her. She just looked at me, not even blinking. Then her mouth curved into a smile, right before she pounced on me, throwing us both back against the wall. It cracked at our impact.

Her mouth attacked mine fiercely and I gave into her lust. I shoved her back onto the bed and crawled on top of her. She was grinning widely. I kissed her passionately, pulling at her hair,and attacking her body with my hands, feeling every part of her. Bella ripped my shirt cleanly from my body and froze looking at the shirt in her hand. Pausing, I sat up. A shocked look was worn upon her face.

"How- how did I do that?" She fearfully asked. I gulped at what to say next and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in mine.

"Bella, I'm so sorry… they shot you and…" I choked on my words "…Carlisle did all that he could to save you." She looked at me trying to understand.

"Save me? I'm fine…oh-" Understanding came upon her. She sat there silently. I wanted to hear her thoughts. Finally she spoke up again.

"So… I'm like you?" she asked, wanting to clarify.

"Yes… I'm so sorry Bella. There was no other way. I didn't want to lose you, I love you too much," I confessed.

"But I can hunt only animals, right? I don't need to feed from people…wait- you love me?" she perked up. I grabbed her other hand and held them both in mine.

"Bella, yes of course I love you, probably since I first laid eyes on you at the Blackstone Hotel. I want to be with you, for the rest of our eternity… and I hope you do too..." She smiled at me and I continued. "…and yes, you can hunt only animals. It will take time to get used to being around humans, but we will help you. In fact, we should go hunt now. Are you hungry?"

"My throat kind of burns, but I'm not hungry."

"We should probably go anyway. I know I need to." I helped her to her feet. We met Carlisle and Esme downstairs. I introduced them to Bella, who had been unconscious when they met before.

When we were outside, I took off running for the hunt. Not sensing Bella beside me I turned to find her standing in front of the house, not moving.

"Come on!" I called to her. She still didn't budge, so I ran back to her.

"What's wrong?" I asked. She looked confused.

"Can… can I go _that _fast?" she asked and I remembered the night I had run her out of the speakeasy. She had passed out so she wasn't aware of my speed.

"Yes of course. Probably faster, and you're probably stronger than I am, too. Now let's go!" I grabbed her hand and pulled her along with me as we ran through the forest. She began to laugh and enjoy our run as we went along. I smelled some deer to the north and directed us in that direction. I slowed, so we could study them in the clearing.

"Go ahead," I told her.

"What do I do?"

"Here, I'll go first. Follow my lead quickly or they will start to run off." I took off and swiftly took down a deer and fed. I glanced over to Bella who had taken down one of the does like a natural. I wiped myself clean and joined her. She looked oddly sexy as she fed. Her features had been enhanced as a vampire and I remembered what we had started in the bedroom.

"Are you still hungry?" I asked her.

"Yes…" She looked at me, eyes full of need. Walking over to me, she grabbed my hips and pulled me against her body for a kiss. Deepening the kiss I picked her up, she wrapped her legs around my waist. I flicked her nightgown off. Her skin against mine sparkled in the early morning light. Her breasts were full and round with perfect pink nipples. I reached between us and undid my pants. In one swift move I entered her. We locked eyes at the connection and I steadily rocked her over me, holding her up easily with my strength. The blood had fueled our lust. I set her down to her feet and turned her around. I pulled her hips against mine and entered her from behind. We quickly ascended to our peak, satisfying our need.

Holding Bella in my arms, I kissed her neck tenderly at her scar. I picked up the scrap of clothing that I had ripped off her body and handed it to her. The fabric was falling off of her, where it was torn at the seams. I makeshift tied it, so that she wouldn't have to run back to the house nude. I pulled up my pants; my shirt was still in the bedroom upstairs. I studied Bella who moved silently next to me. She was taking this rather well and I was a bit shocked.

"Bella, are you okay? I thought you would be more upset…" I asked her as we made our way back to the cabin at a walk. She took my hand and smiled at me.

"Yes, I couldn't be happier. You saved me Edward," she replied.

"But I didn't- they shot you!" I was still beating myself up over it. She stopped in her tracks and faced me.

"Edward, I love you too. This is our destiny; not matter what, it was supposed to happen like this. We are meant to be together, forever." For the first time, I realized her love for me. She wanted me, she always had. We were meant to be one, and now we could. My chest swelled with an overwhelming sense of love and need for her. I kissed her with all the passion I had, pouring my soul and love into her.

Breaking the embrace, I grasped her hand in mine and smiled at her. We walked back towards the house, towards our new life together.

Bella had made me a new creation. I had been reborn.

****

A few story notes:

The Chicago Outfit a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois. The only criminal organization that has a monopoly on traditional organized crimes. The outfit's control reportedly reacheds throughout the western United Stated and as far as Los Angeles, and Florida. Also known as the capone gang. Estimated to be 300-400 members of the core gang and 1000 associated.

-Top Skirt: prostitute

-Thompson made machine gun aka "Tommy gun". An automatic gun that was the weapon of choice back then.

- Speakeasy: underground bar that people could go to and get booze from during the prohibition era.

- Fedora: hat. Men typically always wore hats at this time.

- Lit: to be drunk

-Mickey Finn: a drink drugged with knockout drugs

-Spinach: money

Please review :)


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